Fiber-based dairy packaging gains traction under EU PPWR pressure

As the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) mandates recycled content and recyclability targets, recycled and bio-based materials are becoming a viable alternative to plastic for dairy packaging, says Uwe Schulze, executive vice president of product and development at Elopak. 

He notes that consumers are also indicating a preference for fiber-based solutions and a transition away from plastic packaging. 

“Beyond regulatory compliance, the industry is trending toward packaging with reduced plastic content, with many consumers indicating a preference for recyclable and fiber‑based formats, while cost and convenience remain decisive factors,” Schulze tells Packaging Insights. 

Recently, the company celebrated its partnership with Farm Dairy, a Netherlands-based dairy company, which utilized Elopak’s Pure-Pak Sense cartons. It has also held collaborations with a Slovakian dairy and the Germany-based food group, Hochwald Foods. 

He adds: “Carton packaging is already based on renewable paperboard, and manufacturers are now integrating circular [recycled] and bio‑circular polymers, such as the ISCC+ certified materials introduced in Elopak cartons in 2025, to reduce reliance on virgin plastics and prepare for future PPWR requirements.” 

Last year, Elopak, in collaboration with Dow Chemical and Orkla Home and Personal Care, unveiled a new line of D-Pak cartons featuring a mix of circular PE and bio-circular (renewable) polymers. 

Consumer demand 

Schulze explains that in the next five to ten years, the shift from plastic to fiber-based cartons will be an “important force” in dairy packaging. 

“This shift is being shaped by a combination of regulatory pressure and evolving customer expectations for less plastic, lower carbon, and renewable packaging — but without compromising convenience, product protection or shelf life,” he says. 

Schulze points out a 2024 Ipsos survey, which found that across 32 nations, 87% of respondents consider reducing global plastic production essential or important, with 85% supporting a ban on unnecessary single-use plastic products.

“These are not niche positions,” he explains, “they represent mainstream consumer sentiment that brands and retailers can no longer treat as secondary.” 

Challenges to the fiber shift

One challenge of switching to fully fiber-based solutions for liquid-based dairy products is the packaging closures, which Schulze calls the “last remaining plastic components in many dairy formats.”

He adds that Elopak is advancing several approaches to lower‑plastic closure design, including the development of fiber‑based solutions.

Last year, Elopak invested in Blue Ocean Closures, becoming a co-owner of the Swedish sustainability start-up specializing in fiber-based closures.

Schulze also notes that while consumer value reduces plastic items, convenient packaging is also an important commercial driver. 

“Consumers want portion packs for school, work, and sports, as well as larger formats for home use — all in packaging that’s easy to open, pour, reclose, store, and recycle.”

“The dairy brands gaining ground are those that combine credible sustainability features with formats that match real consumption habits: lighter packs, reduced plastic, cap‑free options, and designs that help keep products fresh for longer,” he concludes.